Cocaine: The Surprising Facts that You Need to Know About

What is cocaine ?

Cocaine refers to an addictive stimulant drug with powerful effects on people, depending on the dosage you take. It was produced from the leaves of the South American native coca plant.

The drug is a valid medical remedy that is mainly used as local surgical anesthesia, however, it is also considered an illegal drug. It basically looks like crystal powder with white and fine texture. Cocaine is considered a street drug and could be mixed with other contents such as talcum powder, cornstarch, and flour, in order to boost profits. It could even be blended with a stimulant amphetamine drug. Since it’s highly addictive, Cocaine addiction treatment tops the chart for rehabilitation services in the country.

Fact 1: Different Ways How People Use Cocaine

The drug has different names with the likes of coke, blow, crack, snow, and rock on the list. Just as its numerous nicknames, there are also different ways how people use this drug. For instance, users popularly snort the cocaine powder through their nose and rub the powder into their gums. There are also others that combine the drug with heroine, a blend that is called Speedball, which is administered by injection.

Smoking cocaine is another way of using this drug which has already been processed into what is called freebase cocaine or rock crystal. The heated crystal produces vapor that is inhaled into the lungs. The type of cocaine that is smoked is also called Crack which is derived from the crackling sound that the rock makes when it is heated. In most cases, cocaine users take the drug in binges, particularly in small but repeated usage with increased dosage in order to sustain their high.

Fact 2: Short-Term Effects of Cocaine

Some of the temporary effects of this drug include mental alertness, irritability, extreme energy or mood elevation, and hypersensitivity to touch, sound, and sight. Others may also experience paranoia or that unreasonable and heightened sense of distrust towards others. When taken in large dosage, the drug could lead to violent, unpredictable, and strange behaviors.

Fact 3: Long-Term Effects of Cocaine

Excessive and prolonged usage of cocaine also has drastic and long-lasting effects on the body such as the loss of your sense of smell and nosebleeds due to snorting the drug. You may also have chronic problems with runny nose and swallowing. Users that inject cocaine have higher risks of hepatitis C, HIV, and other diseases that are considered blood borne. When you consume the drug by mouth, you also become vulnerable to bowel decay due to reduced blood flow.

Fact 3: Cocaine Overdose

A person can definitely overdose on cocaine and this happens with the intake of extremely high dosage of the drug. It results in toxic reaction and serious hazardous effects and even death. Cocaine overdose may be intentional or otherwise and mixing high dosage with drinking is even more lethal and riskier.